


Milkshake

by Strangerthingsprobably



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Gen, Mileven, One Shot, eleven trying new things, i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 13:37:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10361637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strangerthingsprobably/pseuds/Strangerthingsprobably
Summary: A one-shot in which Eleven tries a milkshake for the first time! Mike is just doing his best.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so this is my first fanfiction ever so I'm still getting used to belonging to a fandom and learning terms and all that so bear with me. 
> 
> Leave comments or kudos or whatever I guess? I'm really nervous about this so anything would be really appreciated!

"What did they feed you there? What did you eat?" Mike asked. He didn't want her getting an upset stomach from unfamiliar foods, plus what if she was allergic to something?

El furrowed her brow in frustration, unable to find the words to explain. What was it called? Some sort of drink.

In the lab, she was given a drink following every meal. Along with the tasteless and colorless foods she received, the bad men served her a thick concoction that looked like melted ice cream, but tasted nothing like it.

Despite it's cold temperature, the liquid burned her throat as she choked it down. It tasted like dirt and copper, like the blood that dripped from her nose. The sludge slid down her throat slowly like a slug that had come from The Upside Down. It’s aftertaste clung to her throat like how gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe last week.

Growing up in the lab meant knowing exactly what was expected of her; always given orders but never told why. The drink was one of the only things she was ever given an explanation for, but it was only to push their agenda.

They said it was to keep her strong and healthy after playtime. That was supposed to help keep her mind sharp. If anything, though, it made her feel even worse. Bile rose in her throat after every sip and she remembered the punishment if she didn’t finish.

El snapped back to reality just as Mike was finishing a rambling explanation on why Lucky Charms were his favorite cereal, his attention focused on the cupboard and, thankfully, not on the girl behind him.

“So, does anything sound good?” Mike asked.

El looked at the colorful boxes and shapes, unable to recognize anything. So much clutter and overstimulation, she couldn’t make out a thing.  
She looked around the kitchen for a cup so she could try to explain. In the sink she found a clean glass, almost the same size as the steel cup the bad men gave her and showed it to Mike.

"Oh, a drink? Okay, well.. we have orange juice and stuff." He motioned to the fridge and opened it for her. A slight draft came from inside it, surprising her. "See, we have lots of drinks. Juice, milk, pop.” Mike waited for her response.

El looked at the produce in the fridge. She recognized orange juice, a slightly bitter drink that Dustin had her try at breakfast once after a sleepover. If there was any indication that she did like orange juice, it was hidden by how her face twisted up when she swallowed it.

She gazed up at the top shelf at the tall bottles. They didn't look the same as the milk or pop. They were dark brown and made of glass. She pointed at the foreign beverage thinking maybe it could be that, unable to see the liquid inside.

"Oh, that. That's beer. It's only for adults so we can't drink it but sometimes my Dad lets me take a sip. It's not very good so you're really not missing out."

El’s lips lifted slightly at that but she's not really sure why. Mike grinned back at her. She reached for the… milk? And turned to Mike. He shut the door.

“That’s milk. It comes from cows,” he explained, “personally, I like chocolate milk better.” He wondered if she knew what cows were, but she didn’t ask so he let it go.

Eleven twisted the top of the carton and sniffed the liquid inside. It smelled sweet, like the warm stuff Papa would sometimes reward her with before lights out after she made him proud. She looked to Mike at a loss for words, unable to determine what she wanted to say.

“Here, let me pour it for you. Maybe I could make you chocolate milk, too?” He asked tentatively. He walked over to the kitchen table, pulled out a chair for El, and poured her a glass of milk. He then motioned for her to come sit, so she did.

She lifted the glass slowly to her lips, took a quick sip and relished in it.

“Do you like it?” Mike asked.

El smiled and nodded in response.

“Good! Do you wanna try chocolate, now? It’s even sweeter,” he said, grabbing two straws and making himself a glass. 

 

When the milk changed color El’s eyes widened, but not in her usual inquisitive manor. It was a gaze of recognition. The chocolate milk was the same color as the drink at the lab. Mike took note of her expression, wondering if it was a good sign or not.

“Eleven, is everything okay?” His voice filled with concern.

She looked at him, mouth agape, but no sound came out. Mike tried to continue for her, “have you had this before?” He asked.

El struggled with her words once again, “Yes, but…. more,” she hesitated, not sure how to get her point across.

“More… like more in the glass or—"

El cut him off by shaking her head. “No. More like… more,” and made a sort of expanding motion with her hands.

“Oh, like thicker? Like a milkshake?” Proud of himself for finally deciphering her language, hoping it wasn’t a mistake.

“What is milkshake?”

“Here,” he stood smiling, “we have ice cream. Let me show you because I think I might be right.” He smiled at her and she smiled back, but it didn’t last. As soon as Mike turned away, El pulled her legs up to her chin and kept her gaze down.

In truth, she was nervous about trying a milkshake, which was unlike her, especially when it comes to food. She’s always so curious, so ready to try new things in the world that had been hidden to her. 

It only took Mike a few minutes to make the shake for his new friend, but when he came back, he noticed she had retreated into herself. A nervous habit he had noted.

“Bad men,” she muttered, her brows furrowed.

“What? Bad men? Is this what they fed you?” Mike felt concern welling in his chest at the sound of her tone. He didn't understand how she could be so hesitant towards a milkshake when she had just drank milk itself Had the bad men done something to their version to hurt her? Did it taste different? 

“El?” He asked.

She looked up at him and the drink in his hand cautiously.

Now Mike felt anxiety rising in his chest. He didn’t mean to upset her. It’s just so hard to communicate with someone who has a limited vocabulary. But she knows “no,” so why hadn’t she said that if she thought it might be bad? Maybe she wasn’t comfortable saying it. He shook all the thoughts from his brain.

"Hey, I’m sorry," clearing his throat If you don’t wanna drink it that’s okay. I didn’t mean to upset you, but it is really good. It tastes like the chocolate milk we were drinking.”

She looked up at Mike, one eyebrow cocked. Good? Like their chocolate milk? She wanted so desperately to believe the freckle faced boy in front of her, but memories of the lab held her back. All she could think about was the acrid taste that used to settle in her stomach every night.

But that was the lab and those were the bad men and Mike was not bad. Mike was good. Mike was so good. He was colorful and bright and inviting, not like the hollow white walls of Hawkins National Laboratory. He would never do what the bad men did to her, would he? She considered this for a moment before decided that friends don’t lie. Mike said milkshakes were good and so they must be.

El shifted in her seat and visibly relaxed. Mike saw the tension fall from her shoulders, but her arms were still wrapped around her bony knees.

He knew he had tot think of something to help her move past this. "Here, see? It’s good,” he said, taking a sip. This always worked with Holly when she didn’t want to eat her vegetables. And the shake was good, that was no lie. Mike Wheeler may not be the best thirteen-year old cook, but he knew how to make a mean milkshake. He just needed this girl to believe him. She needed something in her stomach after being trapped in The Upside Down for so long.

El nodded and slowly withdrew her hand from her cocoon. The glass was colder than before, but the milkshake smelled intoxicating. It was so much sweeter than what she was used to. She sucked at the straw and watched the substance rise as it came to her lips and she smiled. It was really good!

Mike saw her change in expression once the shake hit her tongue and smiled. He sat next to her enjoying this new experience for her. “Hey, be careful though, El. You might get—.” He cut himself off as he noticed El’s expression change once again. She drew her entire self in once more and let out a whimper, her hands rubbing at her temples.

She hadn’t felt this before. Sure, her head would hurt if she overworked herself, but it was never a pain like this. When she used her powers it felt more like a buzzing or a humming in her head. This was like a blizzard screaming in her head.

“El,” he called, “El, it’s just brain freeze. Here,” he reached his hand out to hers, but she pulled back staring at him. “Right, no touching. Well, try this. It gets rid of brain freezes.” At that, Mike Wheeler stuck his thumb to the roof of his mouth and breathed out.

El, even though she had no idea what he was doing, didn’t hesitate to relieve the feeling. So she stuck her thumb to the roof of her mouth, too. It was rigid and cool. She breathed out a sigh of relief as her brain went back to it’s normal temperature.

“Better?” Mike asked.

“Better,” she grinned, “thank you.”

“No problem,” he let out a small chuckle. “Next time, don’t drink it so fast!”


End file.
